Gilligan forfeits almost €19,000 to state

The daughter of convicted drug dealer John Gilligan has forfeited nearly €19,000 to the State under legislation which allows seizure of the proceeds of criminal activity.

Tracey Elizabeth Gilligan (aged 32) of Willsbrook View, Lucan has been ordered by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to forfeit the money to The Revenue Commissioners. She did not appear in court.

Judge Michael White said that he was satisfied from the circumstances and from Ms Gilligan’s possession of a chemical used in connection with mixing cocaine that the seizure was "appropriate and in order" and that the money was "directly or indirectly the proceeds of, or to be used in, drug trafficking".

He heard that €18,900 was seized from Gilligan at Dublin Airport on her way to Alicante, Spain on February 25, 2004.

Custom’s officials searched Ms Gilligan’s luggage and found 14 containers of "Mannitol", a substance commonly used to turn cocaine into powder.

Ms Gilligan told officials that she used the chemical to clean beer lines in a pub in Spain. Expert evidence was revealed that "Mannitol" was not used for such a purpose but is commonly used in mixing cocaine.

Cash was also found which Ms Gilligan claimed to be the proceeds of the sale of a car in Spain.

She said she had brought the money to Ireland to buy another car and had not used the banking system as it would take up to 20 days and cost too much. The bank notes were wet as they had been kept in a washing machine for safety.

She said that she was in Ireland to visit friends and was returning to Spain early as a child was sick there.

Mr Kerida Naidoo BL, for The Revenue Commissioners agreed with Mr Tony McGillicuddy BL for Gilligan that she had 30 days in which to appeal the forfeiture order.

Judge White said that the order had been made against the money rather than Ms Gilligan and that the proceedings were civil rather than criminal in nature. John Gilligan is currently serving a 20 year sentence for drug dealing